


Husband for rent

by Leliane



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-06-04 22:48:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15157310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leliane/pseuds/Leliane
Summary: Castiel has a huge problem: His boiler is broken and he needs someone to fix it for him. Thankfully his brother Gabriel kept a flyer of a handyman advertising himself as "husband for rent". Can Dean fix Castiel's boiler? And get a date? (Let's be honest - none of us cares about the boiler.)





	Husband for rent

It had been a disastrous day for Castiel. He thrived on precision and punctuality, needed order and system. His routines and rituals were paramount for him to feel safe and relaxed. But this day had broken several of his routines. He had been five minutes late for work in the morning, spilled coffee and ruined his tie at lunch and forgot his favorite book in the library in the afternoon. And the reason for all of these catastrophes, he knew, had been the cold shower in the morning.

 

To others it would just have been an inconvenience to shower cold in the morning, but to Castiel it was more. For the third time in a row his hot water supply had given up and left him shivering and freezing in the shower. This break of routine unsettled him for the rest of the day and led to all other things. It only got worse as the day progressed.

 

Castiel knew six languages fluently, three of them long dead. He could determine the age of ceramic pieces as small as his thumbnail. He could also write in the ancient cuneiform script. But fixing a boiler was beyond him. He had absolutely no clue what the problem was or what to do. Which meant he would have to face another cold shower tomorrow – and in the days that followed – if he couldn’t find someone to fix it for him.

 

He had lived in this city for only two months and knew no one beside his brother Gabriel who wasn’t the best handyman himself. Still, turning to him sounded way better than calling a handyman he found in the internet or a phonebook. The thought of calling someone he didn’t know caused him to almost panic. Gabriel would have to make that call for him.

 

Visiting Gabriel’s coffee shop at five in the evening was, however, a whole other nightmare. Castiel really shied away from human contact to people and bathing in a mass – and ten people in the small coffee shop counted as a mass to him – was not his idea of a good time. He sighed and braced himself before pushing the door open. There were a lot of people (for his standard) in the shop and Castiel instantly started sweating.

 

Gabriel saw him the moment he entered the door and rushed over to him. As annoying as his brother could be, he was very supportive when he knew Castiel was in a situation that caused him distress. The smaller man dragged his brother in the kitchen where they were alone. Castiel breathed in relieve.

 

„What brings you here at rush hour? Not that I am complaining, I just mean that this doesn’t seem like you at all.“ Gabriel seemed worried and instantly Castiel felt bad. It was unfair that his quirks and flaws put stress on his family.

 

„It’s nothing worrysome,“ he tried to reassure. „It’s just... My boiler decided to stop working and I am tired of cold showers. They interfere with my daily schedule.“

 

„I’m sorry.“ Gabriel understood the importance of his schedule.

 

“Do you perhaps know handiman who could repair it? Today, if possible?” Castiel asked. A mischievious glint entered his brother’s gaze. Castiel had long ago learned to fear that specific look.

 

„Actually, I think I have the perfect solution.“ Grinning Gabriel started to rummage in an overfull drawer that had Castiel itching to order it. Finally he cried out in triumph, holding a flyer, and closed the offending drawer. He gave the flyer to Castiel and took out his phone.

 

„Husband for rent?“ Castiel read out the headline questioningly. Who came up with a silly sloagan like that?

 

„I found it funny when I got the flyer, which is why I kept it,“ Gabriel explained. „Just imagine: You rent a husband who fixes your boiler and then you can go back to your lonely lifestyle. Too bad he only offers handyman services…“ Castiel had to admit that this sounded like something Gabriel would find funny. Beside the strange title the flyer was professional, promising help with everything mechanical, electrical or paint jobs, all executed by someone named Dean.

 

He listened quietly while Gabe spoke to this Dean, telling him how urgent his services were needed. Dean obviously promised to come over at six thirty, which would destroy Castiel’s evening routine as well, but at least he could hope that the next day his schedule would be perfect again.

 

xXxXxXxXx

 

Castiel sat on his couch, holding a book in his hand. He couldn’t bring himself to read, however. Dean should have been here five minutes ago. Him being late upset Castiel. His unexpected visitor messed with his evening plans already – he had to eat earlier than normal – and being late made it even worse. He tried to focus on the fact that, if Dean could fix his boiler tonight, then he could be back to his normal schedule tomorrow. Finally, seven minutes too late, the doorbell rang. Castiel rushed to the door and opened it. Outside stood a good-looking man with toolbox in his hand and a cocky smile on his face. Castiel rushed him in, not bothering with introductions.

 

„The boiler is this way“, he said instead of a greeting and started to walk to his bathroom. The other man followed him, taking his unfriendlyness in stride. „Three days ago it stopped working and it has put considerable stress on my schedule.“

 

„Your schedule? How’s that?“ The other man looked more curious than annoyed or amused. Castiel knew well how others normally reacted to his need for routine. He blushed in shame and tried to explain.

 

„I shower every day between seven and a quarter past seven. If the shower is cold it takes me longer, because I wait for warm water. Or less long, because I hurry. Either way I am late or early. And it affects my entire day.”

 

„Is your boss giving you a hard time?“ Dean sounded utterly confused now, but at least he was willing to listen without judging Castiel. So he tried to explain better, while Dean put his toolbox down and started looking at the boiler.

 

„No, I am free as to when I work. But I strongly dislike unpunctuality. And I have a habit of following the same routine which has been next to impossible the last few days. I feel stressed out if that routine is changed.“ Normally, at this point, people would remark on his weirdness or give him an advice to take things easier. He had spent the better part of his adulthood to take things easier, but it just didn’t work. He felt almost scared when he had to do something he hadn’t planed and there was nothing he could do about it.

 

„I am sorry I was late.“ Castiel blinked at the unexpected answer. This was the most considerate thing he had ever heard from anyone. Furthermore, it showed clearly that Dean _understood_. Before he could react, the handyman continued: „And I will see that I can fix it as soon as possible.“ With a warm smile he started working and Castiel was suddenly struck with his beauty. No one outside of his family ever reacted to his weird behavior this way. Gracefully. Accepting. Non-judgmental. Not weirded-out. Unintentionally, he relaxed in a way he hadn’t the past three days.

 

„Thank you,“ he said and felt, he really meant it. Dean began to work and Castiel admired his talented, strong hands and the swiftness of his motions. He was really impressed with how well Dean seemed to know what to do. All those pieces that didn’t make sense to him seemed to tell Dean a story. Castiel sat down on the closed toilet seat and settled to watch Dean. He didn’t feel comfortable with the thought of leaving a stranger alone in his bathroom and he enjoyed watching. After a while the handyman began to shift uncomfortably under his gaze. Castiel didn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable, but his talent for small talk was inexistent and his social skills very weak. Desperately he thought of something to say, but came up empty, when Dean started a conversation.

 

„You have a lot of books in the living room. Are you some kind of... scholar?“ The word ‚scholar’ seemed to come off his lips only with reluctance, as if he wasn’t used to using it.

 

„I am a professor and researcher for archaeology“, Castiel explained. „My main field of research are the ancient societies in Middle East, especially the Hittites.“

 

„I can hardly remember when I last read a book. The smarts went all to my brother, Sammy. He is studying law in Stanford.“ He smiled a little self-deprecating smile and Castiel wanted it to disappear. Someone so talented and beautiful should not think so low of himself.

 

“Every fool can read a book and even more write them. You are fixing my boiler, which in my eyes is a much greater feat”, he said with honest awe. Dean gave him a long look, then a small, but warm smile and continued to work. Castiel could not help but reciproce that smile. Usually he had difficulties to express his emotions, but this – returning Dean’s sweet smile was easy.

 

“Ah… uhm…” Deans seemed to struggle with words now and Castiel’s breathing suddenly went a little faster. Until now he had seemed so sure of himself, cocky almost. Could it really be possible that this man also knew awkwardness and shyness? He didn’t dare asking it out loud, but he couldn’t help and wonder. After a while Dean declared the boiler fixed and Castiel could hear the telltale hum of the machine.

 

“You cannot imagine how grateful I am to you.” Dean gave him another cocky grin, obviously having recovered from his previous shyness.

 

“Never mind. Anytime. It’s what husbands are for after all.” Castiel had to smile again, the silly advertisement coming back to his mind. He hadn’t smiled that much in ages.

 

“Thank you anyway, husband.” It was a tentative try at humor that normally he wouldn’t even have dared to bother with. But with Dean he felt safe. If he made a stupid joke that wasn’t funny, he wouldn’t be laughed at.

 

“I wish”, Dean whispered so quietly Castiel almost couldn’t hear it. Dean played with a small screwdriver he had used and not put back yet. “Say… Would you mind going on a date with me?”

 

The question left Castiel speechless for a moment. He had never been on a date and had never had a relationship. He didn’t feel comfortable around people. He didn’t know how to talk to others. Even with his brothers he often felt awkward. He didn’t know how to express feelings. He didn’t like being touched. And yet… He wanted to be near Dean whose large green eyes were looking at him unsure. Dean who bit his lip, expecting to be turned down. Dean, who was so beautiful, inside and out.

 

“I… I…” His hesitation had lasted a bit too long, obviously.

 

“It’s okay. You’re probably not into guys or…” Castiel stood when he heard Dean start his excuses. That horrible self-deprecating smile was back and Castiel didn’t like it at all.

 

“I am really not into anyone. I don’t know how to interact with people”, he hurriedly explained. “But I would like to try with you. One date, I mean.”

 

“Seriously?” The smile on Dean’s face was almost blinding.

 

“Seriously.” Castiel didn’t regret saying yes.


End file.
